Weed-cutting machine



ASQQQ Jan. l5 1924.

J. COPPINGER wEED CUTTING MAC'HINE Filed April s. 1922 Z0 ZZ /7 Patented.im 15,1924.

" To aZZ'I/whom-it may concerni- .joint corrmena, or BaoAnvIEw, momma.

wann-'CUTTING MACHINE.

Application led vApril 3, T1922. Serial No. 549,073.

, Be it-'knowiitha't I, JOHN: einem, a citizen. of th@ United States,l,sident of Broadview, county f Yellowstone,"'Sta-te ofMotanahave`inventedcertain new and useful Improvements`in'-iVeed-Cutting Machines, 'ofwhichthe `following'is a specificaflochine. having aseries'fof. knives for cutting The objectief my inventionis toprovide an attachment for a ground-working mawe'edstalks androots'below the surfaceof the'ground, the' machine being particularlyadapted for use-in semi-arid regions where dry farming-.is practiced,and it-is desirable to, destroy weedsv andnoxious grasses withoutdisturbing mulch The invention consists generally-in variousconstructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described andparticularly pointh A edout injthe c1aims.-

In the accompanying drawings forming l part of this specification,

lgure 1 is a plan view of a disc harrow with my invention appliedthereto,

vFigure 2 is a rear elevation of the same,

showing one group ofdweed cutting knives to a transverse bar 9a mountedon the forward portion of' the harrow frame and project to a point inthe rear of the standards 6. These draf-t bars are preferably arrangedin pairs, as shown in Fi re 1, two upon each side .of the middle line ofthe machine.

Links' 10 are pivotally connected at 11 to said draft bars and projectrearwardly therefrom and are secured to cross bars 12; there being onebar on each side 'of the machine in substantial alignment. Each'l barisprovided with U-shaped clamps 13 to engage L the u right Shanks 14 ofhorizontally arrange weed cuttinlgl knives 15 having cutting edges 16whic are adapted to sweep through the soil a few inches beloy'gY thesurface and completelysever and destroy weed or stirring up the top soilorv stalks,l rootsand grasses which in an way will interfere with thepropagation o seeds .or the growth of plants. The knives and theirShanks are preferably' made in-te al, but may be, separated, ifreferred, andglthe kmves are capable of vertical adjustment in theFU-bolts and may be lifted clear of the ground by raising the links 10,each oup of knlves being raised se arately, as s own. T his raising isaccomplished by levers y17 p1voted a-t 18 on the standards 6 and havingrearwardly projectin ends 18 which are adjustably connected wit thecross bars 12 by links 2O having a series of holes 21 at one end forvertical adjustment and pivotally connected at'22 to the bars 12. Thelever 17 has a forward upwardly turned portion within convenient reachof the driver on the seat, 23 and bars 24 have ratchet-like latchvdevices 25 for holding the levers' in their ad- -justed positions, asindicated by dotted lines in Figure 3. l t

` The knives operate in the rear of the discs a few inches below thesurface ofthe ground, as shown in Figure 3, and each knife blade will besubstantially horizontal andits cutting edge will have a shear out 4onthe stalks androots of weeds and such grass as the operatormay wish todestroy. All this will be accomplished at such a depth that the cutstalks and roots will not to any extent grow again. v

The operator of the machine may raise the knife blades to lift thementirely clear of lthe soil, or one group may be raised and the otherallowed to remain in its working position. the knives vertically, intheir supports so that the depth of the cut may be regulated. The numberand size of the blades may, of course, be increased or decreased asdesiredv and still be within the scope of my invention.

l claim as my invention: 1. The combination, with a frame and groundworking implements mounted therein, of horizontal draft links ivotallyconnected at their forward ends with said frame,

I may also adjust the Shanks of transverse bars connected with the rearends of said links, upright Shanks mounted'in said bars and rovided attheir lower ends with horizonta blades having weed cutting edges adaptedto slide through the soil below the surface and means mounted on saidframe for raising and lowering saidI bars and knives, said cutting edesbeing arthrough the soilnnd move. obli uely'to the ran ed obliqu'elyto'the line o -draft of the 'direction -of travel of the" mac ine,levers maxine. l plvotecl in said frame 'and having rearwardly 2. Amachine of the class descrihed'eomi pro'eeting ends; lnksndjustably,connecting- 15 I prisinga, frame, ground-working mplesai leverswith'Said bars, h8-f0rbardend ments monted therein, links pivotally oonof'said levers havin hand- `gri s'and means 'nectedwith said frame andprojecting rearforjholding ,then 1n l their a justed' posi- .wardlytherefrom, bars-connected withlsaid, tions. p y l links knives havingupright shank's'fad- In witness whereof, 'I have hereunto set v20S- 10'ustahle on said bars and provided 'with' my han'd this 20th dny'ofMarch, 1922.

horizontal cutting blades adapted to slide.

.JOHN COPHNGER.

